Symptoms

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. An ear exam will be done to look for impacted cerumen.

Treatment

Treatment involves removal of the earwax from the ear canal. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Cerumen can be removed by:

Using one of several instruments, including:

Curette—This is a surgical instrument shaped like a scoop.

Suction—When the cerumen is loosened, the earwax will be vacuumed.

Flushing—The impacted cerumen may be rinsed using flushing equipment.

Ceruminolytic agents—A ceruminolytic agent may be prescribed. This is a liquid-like solution used in the ear to soften the earwax and ease removal.

Earwax moves out of your ear naturally. Earwax should not be removed by you. In fact, continuously trying to clean your ear of cerumen by using a cotton swab, for example, can damage your ear. By trying to remove earwax, you can:

Damage your eardrum—the membrane that vibrates and transmits sound to the middle ear

Make yourself more prone to
swimmer’s ear
—an infection or inflammation of the skin that lines the ear canal

Injure the ear canal

Cause the cerumen to become more impacted and more difficult to remove

Prevention

To help reduce your chances of getting cerumen impaction, take the following steps:

Do not clean your ears with anything more than a soapy washcloth on the outer rim of your ear.

Do not use cotton-tipped swabs to clean anywhere inside your ears.

Use medications as advised by your doctor to help prevent the build up of earwax.

If you are concerned about earwax, see your doctor. Do not attempt to remove the earwax by yourself.

Schedule regular visits to remove earwax build up as advised by your doctor.

RESOURCES

American Academy of Audiology
http://www.audiology.org

American Speech–Language–Hearing Association
http://www.asha.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Canadian Society of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
http://www.entcanada.org

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.